A regular column on the essential buzz

Despite the quasi-judicial air about its proceedings, journalism’s watchdog in India is not empowered to take punitive action. Going by the conduct of one of its members, it seems that this watchdog doesn’t deserve greater powers. Recently, a complaint against a publication was being heard with the former editor of that very publication, a member of the watchdog, hearing the complaint as if he had nothing to do with it! When journalists who cry hoarse about freedom of press do not show even the basic etiquette of recusal, how do they expect others to take them seriously?

JNUAuthor Kanhaiya

Is Kanhaiya Kumar, former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union, penning down a book? JNU insiders are quoting an astronomical signing amount, insisting that a big publishing house has offered Kanhaiya a contract to do a tell-all book on his journey from Begusarai, by the Ganga, to Ganga Dhabha in JNU. His critics on campus claim he has been allotted a ghost writer as well. With a signing amount, a ghost writer and a celebrity status, Kanhaiya needs to look beyond his present political status. A rightward shift towards Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), Laloo Prasad’s RJD or even Congress could be more appropriate and beneficial.

DelhiNew Vocalist

The Ministry of External Affairs is likely to get a new spokesperson soon. Gopal Baglay, who now heads the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the ministry, is slated to be the new face of the MEA, replacing Vikas Swarup. Baglay had earlier been a director in the external publicity (XP) division before he was sent to Islamabad as No. 2 at the Indian mission in Pakistan. With the sharp rise in India’s engagement with the outside world and the keen antennae a large number of media outlets in the country keep nowadays on foreign affairs, Baglay’s appointment is eagerly awaited.

Heard Mamata Banerjee’s fascination for blue and white has intrigued many. When she attended the canonisation­ of ­St Teresa, people realised that the inspiration had always been the Mother’s sari.

Overheard Next time you buy a well-known yoga guru’s almond oil, read the fine print. It says the mix is actually extracted from sesame seeds and has less than five per cent of almond oil content.